Namibia and Angola Pledge to Strengthen Cooperation in Energy and Infrastructure

Addis Ababa: Namibia and Angola have agreed to work more closely on energy and infrastructure projects to support economic growth and create jobs, the Namibian presidency said Saturday. The agreement was made during Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s first official trip to Angola on Friday since becoming president in March this year, the presidency said in a statement.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, President Nandi-Ndaitwah and President Joao Lourenco agreed that the priority areas of agriculture, energy, tourism, oil and gas, logistics, and infrastructure, including water cooperation, are crucial to fight unemployment in both countries. The two heads of state reaffirmed their commitment to the joint development of the Baynes hydropower plant, a cross-border energy project on the Kunene River. They also discussed plans to extend electricity transmission lines and water canals to northern Namibia, aimed at improving access to services and supporting economic activities.

The presidency further s
tated that both leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation between their national oil companies in logistics, training, and exploration. “Angola has built capacity in the oil and gas sector, providing training to Namibians in Angola and has demonstrably shown readiness to assist Namibia’s nascent oil and gas sector,” the presidency said.

In addition, the two sides highlighted the importance of developing a rail link to boost trade and movement of goods between the two countries, as reported by Xinhua.